Business phones won’t stop ringing in the digital world

Isabelle Huitric

February 15, 2022

While major changes have taken place in the communications landscape over the last few years, the demand for desk phones remains constant.

Companies around the globe use desk phones everyday as their primary method of communications. The office phone system represents an easy-to-use and efficient tool, to streamline communications between an organisation and the end customers. Business phones are always on and ready to use, with reliable availability and audio quality. They help keep teams connected.

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And there are moments in everyone’s life where we naturally still turn to the desk phone, regardless of what other communication methods might be available. In emergency situations when we need to connect with someone immediately, business phones provide fast, reliable, and secure communications.

I just want to speak to someone

Today, desk phones have an important role to play in many businesses. In hospitals, professionals need always-on devices which allow them to reach people and be reached at any time. Enterprises need welcome desks to help organise conversations, and customer service enterprises rely on phones for booking and managing appointments. Even government institutions rely on desk phones for secure, wired connections.

For some businesses the desk phone is vital to keep things running. It’s worth noting that in many business environments, the desk phone continues to be the go-to solution for interactions requiring a human connection. When we pick up a phone, it’s because we want or need to connect with someone. For example, if someone wants to know why they haven’t received an item, or they need support with a service, they want a high-quality, reliable, human connection for the conversation.

The reality is the desk phone is evolving into a high-value, customisable solution for critical and specific business communications.

An evolving tale

There are still emerging countries where TDM is still present, and these companies rely on access to the desk phone to build their communication strategy. Although the workplace is evolving digitally, not all businesses today are made up of remote workers and hybrid models.

Emerging countries include a large part of fast-growing companies for which the technology aspect must evolve. For these organisations, it is strategic to leverage existing assets. Desk phones that can connect indistinguishably to TDM or IP are valuable. The transition to IP, and with it, remote worker features and access to the cloud, is simple as hybrid TDM/IP desk phones will not need to be replaced. This will result in limited impact on the business and on users’ communication experience.

In some cases, where the deployment of a Unified Communications (UC) solution can be complicated for users, the desk phone can be a valuable dedicated device to supplement and enhance the overall UC environment, particularly for people who want simple tools and who would prefer to continue using a simple, straightforward device with specific buttons and features for dialing and managing calls.

Desk phones can also be used as a gateway to the Internet of Things (IoT) environment and offer other features for customers including helping to operate more disruptive tools and improving workflows.

A peek into the future

We’re definitely not heading towards a future where we’re likely to see the death of the desk phone any time soon. However, the devices we use in business environments are likely to become more refined. Desk phone vendors need to continue experimenting with ways to make their tools more valuable, including implementing intelligent solutions, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and convenience features into desk phone technology.

Desk phones are evolving toward providing greater expertise, for example as a personal assistant, and integrating features like text to speech and AI. Additionally, there is likely to be disruptive technology available through these devices, such as access to IoT.

The reality is that in today’s digital world, many businesses rely on desk phones to operate, while others integrate them into their digital transformation strategy, and some businesses opt to keep just a few of them to ensure they can answer incoming calls.

Desk phone solutions are required for all types of businesses and industries. At Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise, we believe the desk phone has a long and bright future. Learn more about ALE DeskPhones designed for the digital age.